Ginger Rum Molasses Cookies

Of course ginger and molasses go together for awesome holiday cookie flavor, but add rum to the mix and you'll make my heart sing, and not just because I'm a lush and want to booze it up.  As a flavor enhancer, this works very well.  These cookies are soft, with a nice molasses flavor, with the rum coming through for a nice extra bit and speckled with crystallized ginger,meaning you get nice bits of ginger flavor bite after bite.  A soft molasses cookie is always required for the holidays and I really like the slight twist this recipe gives that holiday stand-by.  These might even been a great cookie swap option for those looking for a little variety in their tradition recipes.

These cookies come from Valerie at Une Gamine Dans la Cuisine, which I'm pretty sure is French for good eats.  These lovely cookies are delightful and I love the ease of the recipe, despite that the cookie seems high end and fancy.  And I love that Valerie questions why you wouldn't have rum for this recipe, just as I assume that if you know and love me, you'll have rum, too. I made my cookies a little smaller so ended up with more.  And while I followed the recipe to use 1 Tablespoon of crystallized ginger, I do think that I'd add more, to ensure more ginger bits throughout each cookie.  Maybe as much as 1/4 cup.  But still, these cookies are awesome and deserve your attention.  Make, enjoy and love them like I do.

Ginger Rum Molasses Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 egg
1 Tablespoon dark rum
1/4 cup molasses
1 Tablespoon crystallized ginger

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand held mixer, beat butter until creamed, then beat in brown sugar and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed.

Beat in egg until well combined, then beat in the rum and molasses until incorporated.

Reduce speed to low and gradually stir in flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in crystallized ginger until distributed throughout.  Cover and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Place remaining sugar in a small bowl.  Remove dough from refrigerator and using a small cookie scoop, portion the dough and roll it into a ball.  Roll in sugar to coat and arrange balls on parchment or Silpat lined baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes, until set.  Turn baking sheet 180 degrees halfway through. If using more than one sheet at a time, rotate positions in the oven for more even baking.

Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

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